All Roll Calls
Yes: 283 • No: 0
Sponsored By: Richard H. Stuart (Republican)
Became Law
Intentional discharge of untreated sewage onto land or into waters of the Commonwealth; civil penalty. Establishes a maximum civil penalty of $50,000 per violation for any person found to have intentionally discharged untreated sewage onto land or into waters of the Commonwealth.
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5 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 3 costs, 2 mixed.
If you do not fix a violation within 30 days after notice, the Department can issue civil penalties. The first charge can be up to $100 and each additional charge up to $150 per day, with no more than one charge in any 10‑day period for the same facts and a $3,000 cap for a related 10‑day series. Penalties go to the Environmental Health Education and Training Fund, and the Department can issue civil summonses. Owners who violate the law, regulations, or orders face penalties under state law. If a city or county owns the system, it can sue a user to recover the part of any penalty caused by that user’s violation.
The Board of Health oversees onsite and alternative sewage systems and requires regular inspections. The Board can require long‑term maintenance contracts as a condition of a permit. It writes the maintenance rules owners and operators must follow. Licensed operators must file site‑visit reports in a statewide web system and pay $1 each time a report is filed.
The law bans dumping untreated sewage on land or into Virginia waters. Anyone who intentionally discharges untreated sewage faces a civil penalty of up to $50,000 for each violation. This protects water quality and public health across the state.
Beginning July 1, 2023, the Department enforces pump‑out rules tied to the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act in Accomack, Essex, Gloucester, King and Queen, King William, Lancaster, Mathews, Middlesex, Northampton, Northumberland, Richmond, and Westmoreland counties and their towns. Licensed operators in those areas must report results using the Department’s web system. Breaking the pump‑out rules there is a Class 3 misdemeanor.
You must get a permit before you build, change, or run a sewerage system. Most permit applications cost $75, and $10 of each fee goes to the Onsite Sewage Indemnification Fund. Alternative discharging systems also pay $75 for required installation or monitoring inspections, with $10 to the same fund. Low‑income applicants can get fee waivers, and repairs or pit privies can be waived. If your permit is denied for land where you planned your main home, your application fee is refunded. The Board can issue a site-suitability letter within 20 working days when you submit a licensed soil evaluation; you still pay the Board’s letter fee and the permit fee when you apply. The Department may require a survey plat, and the landowner is responsible for placing the system where the permit allows.
Richard H. Stuart
Republican • Senate
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
All Roll Calls
Yes: 283 • No: 0
House vote • 3/5/2026
Passed House Block Vote
Yes: 95 • No: 0
House vote • 3/2/2026
Reported from Appropriations
Yes: 22 • No: 0
House vote • 2/25/2026
Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources and referred to Appropriations
Yes: 22 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/13/2026
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 3rd reading)
Yes: 38 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/13/2026
Finance and Appropriations Substitute agreed to
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/13/2026
Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote
Yes: 38 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/12/2026
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/12/2026
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading)
Yes: 40 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/11/2026
Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute
Yes: 14 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/3/2026
Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations
Yes: 14 • No: 0
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0946)
Approved by Governor-Chapter 946 (effective 7/1/2026)
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026
Signed by Speaker
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB453)
Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB453ER)
Enrolled
Signed by President
Passed House Block Vote (95-Y 0-N 0-A)
Read third time
Read second time
Reported from Appropriations (22-Y 0-N)
Assigned HAPP sub: Commerce Agriculture & Natural Resources
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB453)
Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources and referred to Appropriations (22-Y 0-N)
Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources
Read first time
Placed on Calendar
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB453)
Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote (38-Y 0-N 0-A)
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 3rd reading) (38-Y 0-N 0-A)
Finance and Appropriations Substitute agreed to
Rules suspended
Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute Block Vote (Voice Vote)
Chaptered
4/13/2026
Enrolled
3/11/2026
Substitute
2/13/2026
Introduced
1/13/2026
SB767 — Motor vehicles; glass repair and replacement, emissions inspections, penalties, repeals.
Motor vehicle glass repair and replacement; emissions inspection; penalties. Establishes various notice requirements for motor vehicle glass repair shops, defined in the bill, and provides that a violation of such requirements is a prohibited practice under the Virginia Consumer Protection Act. The bill permits a motor vehicle to qualify for an emissions inspection waiver if such vehicle has failed an inspection and the vehicle's onboard diagnostic system is in a not-ready condition to be tested when presented for reinspection. This bill is identical to HB 312.
SB803 — Virginia Fair Housing Law; regulations defining terms related to unlawful conduct.
Virginia Fair Housing Law; unlawful conduct. Directs the Fair Housing Board to promulgate regulations defining "quid pro quo harassment," "hostile environment harassment," and other terms related to unlawful conduct under the Virginia Fair Housing Law. The bill directs the Fair Housing Board to adopt emergency regulations to implement the provisions of the bill.
SB731 — Private companies providing public transportation services; employee protections.
Private companies providing public transportation services; employee protections; report. Requires the governing body of any county or city that contracts with a private company to provide transportation services to (i) require such company to provide any employee of such company providing such services compensation and benefits that are, at a minimum, equivalent to the compensation and benefits provided to a public employee, as defined in the bill, with a position requiring equivalent qualifications and years of service; (ii) provide transportation services through such company's own employees; and (iii) if such county or city subsequently elects to provide its own system of public transportation, adopt an ordinance or resolution providing for collective bargaining and ensure all employees of such private company are offered employment with such subsequent public transportation system without loss of compensation or benefits. The bill clarifies that the bill only applies to actions occurring on or after the effective date and excludes any action taken, contract signed, liability incurred, or right accrued prior to July 1, 2026, from the requirements. Finally, the bill directs the Director of the Department of Rail and Public Transportation to convene a work group to develop recommendations on how to implement the provisions of the bill and requires the work group to report its findings and recommendations to the Chairs of the House Committee on Labor and Commerce and Senate Committee on Local Government by November 1, 2026. This bill is identical to HB 547.
SB620 — Va. ABC Authority; permitting of retail tobacco product retailers, etc.
Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority; permitting of retail tobacco product retailers; purchase, possession, and sale of retail tobacco products; penalties; report. Transitions and provides a more comprehensive structure for the current licensing and enforcement responsibilities related to liquid nicotine and retail tobacco products from the Department of Taxation to a permitting system administered by the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority. The bill requires the Board of Directors of the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage and Control Authority to conduct an unannounced buyer operation at least once every 24 months to verify that a permittee, defined in the bill, is not selling retail tobacco products to persons under 21 years of age. Portions of the bill have a delayed effective date of October 1, 2026. This bill is identical to HB 308.
SB666 — Residential land development and construction; fee transparency, local housing development.
Department of Housing and Community Development; housing development database. Requires the Department of Housing and Community Development to collect from each locality and make available to the public, localities, state agencies, and other state and regional public entities in a centralized, machine-readable, screen reader compatible database various data for each new and existing housing development in each locality in the Commonwealth, including data related to the number of housing development plans submitted and approved by the locality and the average approval timeline for housing development plans.
SB599 — Va. Opioid Use Red. & Jail-Based Substance Use Disorder Trtmt. and Transition Fund; grant procedure.
Virginia Opioid Use Reduction and Jail-Based Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Transition Fund; grant procedures. Requires the grant procedure to govern funds awarded to local and regional jails for the planning or operation of substance use disorder treatment services and transition services for persons with substance use disorder who are incarcerated in local and regional jails to include requirements that (i) any grant awarded shall be made for up to three years and (ii) an applicant for a grant submit a plan demonstrating how such applicant will become independently financially viable within the time period for which the grant is awarded. This bill is a recommendation of the Joint Commission on Health Care and is identical to HB 455.